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Racing Season Concludes; All Missouri Points Champions
Announced
By Jeff Broeg
MT. PLEASANT, IA (Dec 3) - With the postponement of the 2nd Annual Turkey
Open Wheel Classic at the Springfield Raceway the 2008 racing season has
come to a close and four drivers have earned the title of All Missouri
Points Champion in their respective divisions.
Jack Simmons of Erie, Kansas, was the model of consistency this season at
both Nevada and Butler logging twenty-six top five finishes including five
victories on his way to the 2009 Late Model state point title. Simmons edged
out Springfield second-generation star Terry Phillips by nine points for the
championship. Phillips who did not race regularly at any weekly shows this
season still posted eight wins and twenty-one top five finishes in the
Show-Me State. Brad Looney of Republic finished third with six wins as part
of seventeen top-five finishes.
The Modified point chase was fun to follow as Tim Setzer of Archie used a
late surge to overtake Eric Turner of Hermitage for the top spot in the
final standings. Setzer tallied thirteen feature wins as part of his
twenty-nine top-five finishes and that was just four points better than
Turner who scored sixteen wins and twenty-five top-fives. Lebanon’s Jamie
Ragland was closing in fast on the top two but settled for third with
twenty-eight top-five finishes including nine feature wins.
Tommy Worley Jr. of Farmington topped this list of Sprint Car drivers
competing in either the 410’s or 360’s. Worley captured eleven checkered
flags in 2008 on Missouri soil and finished in the top five twenty times
racing primarily at his hometown St. Francois Speedway. Young Jonathan
Cornell of Sedalia is this year’s runner-up capturing eight feature wins and
posting eighteen top-fives. “The Rocket”, Jesse Hockett of Warsaw, thrilled
crowds throughout the country in 2008, but still found time to win eight
features as part of twelve top five finishes in his home state to earn him
third in the final rundown.
Drivers competing in Crate Late Models, Spec Engine Late Models and Limited
Late Models were grouped together in one set of standings and it was Billy
James of Sikeston earning the top honors. James piloted his Crate Late Model
to eight feature wins in 2008 and was in the top five eighteen times on
Missouri tracks. Mike Ryun of Kansas City was a close second finishing in
the top five twenty-one times and chalking up five feature wins.
Centerview’s Jason Bodenhammer looked like he was going to run away with
this title at mid-season, but he went racing with his Modified more in the
second half of 2008 as his point total settled him in for third. “Bodee”
captured ten feature wins in his Limited Late Model this past season and was
in the top five on seventeen occasions.
For a full rundown of the All Missouri Points in all four divisions please
visit www.heartlandmotorsports.com.
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